Fructosamine, Serum

Serum Fructosamine reflects the state of glycaemic control for the preceding two weeks. Fructosamine level is not measured as a one-time absolute value; rather, the trend should be evaluated as a marker for glycaemic control.

Fructosamine levels help in monitoring glycaemic control in diabetes, gestational diabetes and in haemoglobin disorders like anaemia or in dialysis patients.

The Fructosamine test is ordered when a diabetic woman is pregnant or when a person has a condition that may temporarily affect their glucose or insulin requirements.

Although the HbA1c test is a more reliable test to check glucose control, the test may not be useful for a few patients. Examples include patients where there is a shortened RBC lifespan and in people who have been tested with abnormal hemoglobin.

The Fructosamine test is ordered for diabetes and measures the level of average blood sugar levels over a period of 2-3 weeks. The test measures the level of Fructosamine in the blood. 

Other names: Glycated Serum Protein, GSP     

Fructosamine is formed by the non-enzymatic reaction between the carbonyl group of glucose and an amino group of a protein. When Fructosamine is formed from albumin, they are known as Glycated Serum Protein or Glycated Albumin.

High levels of vitamin C (ascorbic acid), Lipemia (abnormally high levels of lipid in the blood), elevated bilirubin, haemolysis and hyperthyroidism (overactive thyroid) may interfere with test results.

Upto 285 umol/L

Interpretation of Fructosamine test

Elevated levels of Fructosamine indicate poor glycaemic control. Low levels of fructosamine may be observed despite of poor glucose control in cases of brittle diabetes mellitus (where sugar concentration fluctuates rapidly), nephrotic syndrome or liver diseases where total serum protein concentrations are sub-normal (hypoproteinemia).